Han Revanda Putra, Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto's government will create new paddies on 500,000 hectares of land in South Kalimantan to help achieve food self-sufficiency in less than 5 years.
"Today, we have mapped out 500,000 hectares of land for the paddy fields. Achieving this will strengthen our food security," said Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman on Monday, November 4, 2024, in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, as quoted from a written statement.
Amran explained that the government will create the paddies in stages. The first phase will cover 152,291 hectares in the South Hulu Sungai, Central Hulu Sungai, North Hulu Sungai, Tanah Laut, and Tapin regencies and gradually expand to other parts of South Kalimantan.
The rice field development, he said, will utilize technology, from land preparation and planting to harvesting and post-harvesting. Hence, the Ministry of Agriculture will partner with several companies to support the project by procuring agricultural equipment and machinery.
To date, there are 14 companies committed to providing equipment for the paddy field development, amounting to 2,000 units. Amran said he has asked the Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities to finalize the contracts within 1-2 days, or 3 days maximum.
In addition, he said the younger generation will be involved in the rice field development program through the Food Brigade, supervised by the Agency for Agricultural Human Resources Development (BPPSDMP). Through this system, every 200 hectares will be managed by 15 people equipped with technological equipment.
To realize the program, the ministry has also inked agreements with the South Kalimantan Provincial Government, District Governments, City Governments within South Kalimantan, the Regional Military Command, Regional Police, the High Prosecutor's Office, and Pupuk Indonesia.
Aside from South Kalimantan, the Prabowo-led government is also executing paddy field development projects in Merauke and Central Kalimantan.